We Have Always Lived in the Castle - April 2016

[Gorab]

As if you won't read it if its in a spoiler tag!

[Gorab]

Hey All,
Its a horror book so I'll start tonight before sleeping with the lights off :)

[[deleted user]]

Gorab wrote: "As if you won't read it if its in a spoiler tag!"

Yeah, I don't read 'em unless I am specifically told to do:-/
(That previous incident reminds me of Bad Blood.)

[[deleted user]]

Gorab wrote: "Hey All,
Its a horror book so I'll start tonight before sleeping with the lights off :)"

Be carefull, otherwise you will scare them .

[Karolina Kat]

I will start tonight too - reading horror during the day doesn't make much sense ^^

[Gorab]

High 5 on that Karolina!

[Gorab]

Arpit wrote: "Gorab wrote: "As if you won't read it if its in a spoiler tag!"

Yeah, I don't read 'em unless I am specifically told to do:-/
(That previous incident reminds me of Bad Blood.)"

Whats Bad Blood?

[Gorab]

I read the first two chapters yesterday night.
Adding spoiler tag for the sake of Arpit :P
(view spoiler)[If I didn't knew its a horror book, everything was going normal. But then since I knew it, my thoughts went all spooky! Imaginig all the weird and evil things about Blackwoods. The way people talk about that Blackwood land, I suspect there are many many dead bodies and evil omens buried underneatrh. (hide spoiler)]

[Jarvis]

@Gorab, the book seems pretty normal to me even after knowing it is horror (according to GR, that is)

[Jarvis]

Ch 6 : I have started hating Merricat's sister all of a sudden.

[Jarvis]

@Manasa, Julian acts all weird. He is so sensible sometimes, and others, he keeps up his flashbacks of the last time the death people of his family did something..

[Jarvis]

Met Charles anyone?

[[deleted user]]

Never mind, Gorab.

I just started it. Writing is a little weird.

[Karolina Kat]

@Gehna, Charles popped in the last chapter I've read (4th if I remember correctly), but it's hard to say anything about him yet.

on the other hand I'm beginning to have some wild theories on who's responsible for the death of parents ( <- no it's not a spoiler, narrator informs about dead parentson page one ;) )

[Jarvis]

Manasa wrote: "Merricat has the emotional maturity of a two year old ! Her sister is okay but there is room for improvement -_-"

Lol, buddy :P
Achcha, in a spoiler tag, temme who is the murderer :P

[Jarvis]

Karoline, I don't like Charles. Had bad feel about him when he started talking to the cat as Mary wasn't talking to him o.O

So what's your theory about the murders? ;)

[Jarvis]

Manasa wrote: "Arpit wrote: "Never mind, Gorab.

I just started it. Writing is a little weird."

Yeah, specifically when Merricat talks about "the rot" and stuff :("

She wants everyone dead :P

[Jarvis]

But I love the way she starts telling the names of poisonous plants whenever the unwanted guests are about to eat at their place :P :P

[Jarvis]

Manasa wrote: "[spoilers removed]
I'm pretty pretty sure"

Bull's eye. Ending of 8th chapter confirms that.

[Jarvis]

@Misty, yeah, he told Julian that his father didn't leave anything so he is here for money only.
And then he does not care about Constance.

[Gorab]

I'll have to stay away from the spoliers tag for some time now. For I've only read till chapter 4 and happy that now the story is moving :)

I'm trying to avoid sugar from my diet. Had a cold coffee without sugar yesterday and it sucked! But still kept me awake till 2 :D

[Gorab]

Yes yes Mishty put up a poll for murderer. Ok what do you think murderer is still alive or died while murdering others?? I think ... (view spoiler)[ that the murderer is one of the deceased. Definitely not Merricat Constance Uncle or Charles. (hide spoiler)]

[Gorab]

Manasa wrote: "Uncle Julian doesn't talk to Merricat at all ! Isn't it weird? @_@"

After your comment only I noticed this!!! Which can also mean.... (view spoiler)[ Julian can't see Merricat. Is she dead already and only Constance can perceive her? That might also explain rides to the moon. But then in the bar "Blackwoods are leaving" rumor scene won't make sense! (hide spoiler)]

[Jarvis]

@Manasa, Gorab, I noticed that Julian doesn't talk to Mary and soon there comes a part which tells us that Julian thinks she is dead. At that part I thought probably Mary was dead and this was her ghost who was visible to Constance only but how can a ghost go for shopping, and clean the house, and have a pet cat etc etc.

I am on that part of story where I won't say much because I'll unintentionally give out spoilers. (Am on the penultimate chapter.)

[Jarvis]

Gorab wrote: "I'll have to stay away from the spoliers tag for some time now. For I've only read till chapter 4 and happy that now the story is moving :)

I'm trying to avoid sugar from my diet. Had a cold coffe..."

Got scared? :P :P

*runs away*

[Gorab]

Manasa wrote: "I finished it ! But Gorab you are wrong about the murderer :3"

Hmmm which makes it more interesting!! :D

[Gorab]

@Gehna... ya ya... who knows there might be arsenic in the sugar that I use! [eye rolling smiley]

[Gorab]

Gorab wrote: "Yes yes Mishty put up a poll for murderer. Ok what do you think murderer is still alive or died while murdering others?? I think ... [spoilers removed]"

Now don't put up a poll. For your vote will be the major spoiler :D

[Karolina Kat]

Probably (view spoiler)[Mary Kate is the murderer and a very disturbed child. Constance loves her too much to admit her to an asylum. (hide spoiler)]

I have mixed feelings about Charles. He obviously came to the Blackwood house because he has no money and he tries to manipulate Constance, but I think it may serve Constance for good - she seems so trapped in her current life.

(in chapter 7)

Wild theory and possible spoiler: (?) (view spoiler)[ I am constantly tackling the possibility that Mary Kate is someone's mind's projection - she's not real at all, and for example Constance went mad after what happend to her parents, etc. This can be easily argued through Uncle Julian's behaviour towards Mary, but on the other hand she did went into the village at the beginning of the novel. Maybe Constance has a split personality? It is rather probable that this theory is wrong, but at the moment I cannot discard it altogether. (hide spoiler)]

[Karolina Kat]

Gorab wrote: "Manasa wrote: "Uncle Julian doesn't talk to Merricat at all ! Isn't it weird? @_@"

After your comment only I noticed this!!! Which can also mean.... [spoilers removed]"

Gorab - I have a similar feeling (check my wild theory spoiler)

[Jarvis]

Gorab wrote: "@Gehna... ya ya... who knows there might be arsenic in the sugar that I use! [eye rolling smiley]"

Really? I imagined you rolling your eyes @_@

[Jarvis]

@Karoline, about your theory, (view spoiler)[you could right but even after finishing the book, I am not able to determine whether Mary was a ghost or mad or Constance was mad or probably Julian was mad because he couldn't see Mary (provided she wasn't a ghost) (hide spoiler)]

[Jarvis]

Gorab, Arpit and Karoline, check this spoiler after finishing 8th chapter.
(view spoiler)[So, Mary was the murderer, but why did she do that?
In the story, she is told to be 18 years old and the murders told place 6 years ago, I think (I THINK!) That means she was only 12 at the time of murders if I am not messing with numbers (hide spoiler)]

Misty, you can check it since you have finished it.

[Karolina Kat]

@Gehna, I'm in the last but one chapter. Considering that it's a gothic-themed novel, there is supposed to be a dark secret about the mansion. Let's put the rest of my thinking into tags so I won't ruin it for those who are not yet done. (view spoiler)[ Obviously Mary was mistreated by the family (it is mentioned that she was often sent to her room without dinner and isolated from the rest of the family). Time will tell for me, if it's stated in the novel or not - if she was maybe hurt by her parents or driven to madness in some way. I have a strong premonition that she was somehow hurt by her family which lead to her disturbed mind and in turn to poisoning her family. Perhaps Constance was the only one who felt guilty towards Mary and that's why she wanted to protect her?
(hide spoiler)]

[Gorab]

Karoline, I couldn't read ahead of Chapter 4 and will be reading tonight. Regarding wild theory and spoiler (view spoiler)[Split personality - Constance is too young to have a split personality. And regarding Merricat as a ghost - how do you explain the bar scene in the beginning then? Were all those people ghosts too? or it was just an imagination by Merricat/Constance? (hide spoiler)]

[Karolina Kat]

@Gorab - considering what's going on later on, I discarded this possibility. On the side note though Constance is said to be around 28 years old, so it is perfectly possible for her to (view spoiler)[ suffer from personality disorder. Psychiatrists note that this disorded can be developped in the minds of children in order to shield them from traumatic experience, which is definitely the case in this novel as far as Constance is concerned. This way if Merricat was her other personality, she'd obviously perceive the world in distorted fashion. However as I already said I discarded this notion, after more characters (Charles) come into play. (hide spoiler)]

[Gorab]

That's a good point Karolina. I'm on 6th Chapter now... and Merrycat's Moon talk is killing me!
"On the moon we have everything. Lettuce, and pumpkin pie and Amanita phalloides..."

[Karolina Kat]

I have finished the whole book yesterday, and here are my afterthoughts. They may touch upon comments of Gehna and Manasa:

(view spoiler)[This story seems to me, to be so much more than a 'gothic murder tale.' After reading everything I see it more as a story of small-mindedness of the little town that Blackwoods lived in, and no acceptance for otherness. The town hated the family for the whole time and they drove both girls to seclusion. In the end they decided to rather stay alone in a dilapidated house than come out to the people of the village.
I agree with you Manasa about the source of Merricat's actions. I also believe that Constance seems to try to compensate something to Mary with the way she treated her. (hide spoiler)]

[Karolina Kat]

Manasa wrote: "Well said Karolina :)"

Thanks! ^^

[Karolina Kat]

(view spoiler)[ Oh it was definitely her, she did barge into Charles room and made a mess, probably just to hide the beginning of the fire (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

On Chapter 6.
Disappointed.

@Gorab your message no. 113 reminds me of the movie The Uninvited. Have you seen it?

[Gorab]

No I haven't seen it yet. Will check out sometime.

[Gorab]

Regaining interest in this because of Charles :)
On Chapter 8 now.
My thoughts on the characters so far till chapter 8....
(view spoiler)[Charles seems to be the most logical and sensible character. Followed by Constance. I agree on his reaction after finding out buried valuables by Merricat. Madam narrator is a total psychopath! And I still don't comprehend this obsessiveness with Moon!!! Uncle Julian a couple of bolts have gone loose in his head. (hide spoiler)]

[Gorab]

Doesn't feels like a horror book even till now. Wrong expectations!!
Hopefully I don't feel *horrible* after finishing this :P

[Karolina Kat]

It's not a horror in a King or Barker sense. I believe the tags refer more to the gothic novels from the 19th century? Like Poe, etc. It is far more accurate in my opinion - becuase the stor is dark and filled with mystery and madness, but it's not a horror per se.

But I'm always against looking at the books through their alleged genres - the borderlines are too farfetched and as you said yourself: it gives you expectations that may not be met and it may affect your whole reading experience.

[[deleted user]]

Finished.
This book leaves a lot of questions.

[[deleted user]]

First ask Ginny about her 2 stars, then come to me:P

[Jarvis]

Karolina wrote: "@Gehna, I'm in the last but one chapter. Considering that it's a gothic-themed novel, there is supposed to be a dark secret about the mansion. Let's put the rest of my thinking into tags so I won't..."

So much that her took the blame on herself?
I don't think so.

[Jarvis]

Arpit, I was waiting for you to finish it ;-)

[Jarvis]

Manasa wrote: "Gehna wrote: "@Karoline, about your theory, [spoilers removed]"

I don't think she is a fragment of Constance's imagination or a ghost, because all the town people knew her, taunted her even. She w..."

I agree with that, buddy!